This is my last book review before SCHOOL IS OUT!!
We are in the home stretch, folks!
THIS FRIDAY is my kids’ last day of school for the 2021-22 school year. It seemed like summer was so far away, and now here it is at blinding speed! I canNOT wait! I feel like giving all of the teachers high-fives as I drive through the carpool pickup line each day.
While I am pumped, my sweet kiddos are sort of limping through this last week. I keep trying to cheer them on with a countdown and encouraging them to “finish strong!”. Alas, we had our boys in our room for a sleepover last night because they’re needing sleep, comfort and time to process the goings-on of their day. We are also choosing to skip our first week of swim team practice, because it’s a little too much to add to the schedule. Nonetheless, I am so looking forward to slower mornings, time with my kiddos without a rushed agenda, and more meals together!
Now onto my book review for the books I read in May. Once again, it’s short and sweet, because May had me all over the place with end-of-school year festivities!
Anybody else?
Each month, I put the stack of books I’ve chosen to read on my nightstand in the order I want to read them. Mostly, I check books out from our local library, sometimes I buy them from amazon, or if I’m really feeling like splurging, I’ll take a kid on a date or treat myself with a trip to Barnes and Noble. I recently purchased a Kindle Paperwhite, which I’m excited to try out on our upcoming trip this summer.
Sit back, sip your coffee, and enjoy!
Two books I would highly recommend, the third was a great and engaging plot line, but I wasn’t excited about the add-in’s (you’ll see below).
First up…
…Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan.
Let it be known, historical fiction is my jam. My utmost favorite genre. In my opinion, history class in high school would have been far more enjoyable had we read historical fiction novels to educate ourselves. 🤣
I loved this book. Based on the real life love story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis, it is written like a biography (by Joy), and takes you through her life, her growing friendship with the renown author, Lewis, and the (painfully) slow development of their love life. The content of this novel is based off of research done by author, Callahan, both of Lewis and Davidson’s writings, as well as time spent with Davidman’s son.
I could envision every page of this book in my mind, and I especially loved learning about what British life was like. It is so well written and portrays an often heartbreaking picture of Davidman becoming Lewis’ wife. I was often shocked at turn of events, frustrated by certain personalities and choices, and had a hard time putting this book down. I highly recommend!
Of course, I had to go on to read the second book in this C.S. Lewis series…
…Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan.
This novel is set in December 1950, after Lewis released his novel “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. The book follows a character Margaret Louise Devonshire (Megs), a 17-year-old math and physics student (who believes faith is make-believe), who takes on the task of her 8-year-old brother’s dying wish, to answer his question of, “Where did Narnia come from?”
Meg attends a college at Oxford University, and lands herself in Mr. Lewis’ path, which begins an unexpected, but somewhat planned, relationship where she begins her journey of finding the answer to her brother’s dying question. Which leads to the development of a budding faith of her own, albeit, unwanted.
It is a story of a young woman moving from a place of reason and logic, to a space of imagination and things possible outside of analytical deduction. I loved that this novel was about love, family, hope and loyalty. I loved the overall theme that concludes how important stories are to us. How stories are the best teachers, to children and adults alike, how they bring joy, and that they’re the only thing that helps us to understand life sometimes. I highly recommend!
The third book I read this last month…
…Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis.
I’ll go ahead and state the obvious, this would have been a much better winter read, but either way it was a fun plot. I needed a light, chick lit to breeze through in this crazy month of May!
In this romantic, heart warming novel, two strangers meet by chance during a blizzard and spend one perfect evening together. Thinking they would never see each other again, fate would have something different to say. The main character, Noelle Butterby, goes back to her life, but keeps serendipitously bumping into the man she spent a survival evening with, Sam Attwood. The kindness Sam shows her is painfully contrast to her ex-boyfriend that has shown up out of no where, and the laughter that Noelle brings to Sam’s otherwise serious relational experience, seems to be a breath of fresh air for him.
I loved the plot, this was an easy read to glide through. My only negative review would be that I don’t prefer having to sift through excessive use of profanity, and there were a couple token relational dynamics that I wasn’t thrilled about. I think as my daughters get older, I read books through the lens of “would I recommend this to my girls?”. So, I’m probably much more sensitive to things I wouldn’t have been a few years ago.
That being said, I have a great book series that Naiya (7th grade) and Noah (4th grade) are loving…
…The Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan.
This is a 12-book series, and the kids can’t get enough! Once they are finished reading one book, they beg to go to the library to get the next one. This couldn’t be truer of those two…
This, as well…
…anyone else’s kids fight over books?! I mean, it’s a great problem and all, but I’ll often either hear them bickering about who was reading what book first or who didn’t mark the other’s page, etc.
Alright, that’s my MAY BOOK REVIEW!
I’m super pumped about my June book lineup! I’ve got some great beach reads, and am looking forward to trying my new Kindle Paperwhite out while on vacation. I’ll let you know what I think in my June book review!
Would love to know what books you’ve been reading! Comment and share, please!
To see the books I read in January, click HERE.
To see the books I read in February, click HERE.
I hope you all are enjoying these last few weeks of school before SUMMER BEGINS!
See you back here on Friday! xoxo
